MLB Trade Deadline: Phillies have been linked 17 out of 30 players likely to be traded in article from ESPN

At this point, it might be easier to list who is expected to be traded and not connected to the Phillies. As the trade deadline barrels toward Thursday at 6 p.m., the Phillies are apparently in on just about everybody. ESPN dropped a list of the 30 most likely players to be traded this week.

The Phillies are listed as potential fits for 17 of them.

That’s more than half.

Obviously 17 players is absolutely ridiculous and it just shows you the state of journalism where any connection is worth noting for the engagement and clicks to come pouring in.

I get that. I have no problem with it either.

Plus, the Phillies have the “championship window” label on them. It’s been that way for the past three seasons and still, there’s nothing to show for it. Being so close with easily identifiable issues will have the media running wild on who they should be targeting to get over the hump.

At the same time, 17 out of 30 players is absolutely insane. Sure, the Phillies could upgrade the third base position but is that really necessary when the outfield, outside of Nick Castellanos, is in shambles?

How about this bullpen? There’s no possible way the Phillies can enter October with the bullpen arms they have and David Robertson as the closer. They probably need two more arms to even get close to what it will take to survive the postseason.

Offensively, the Phillies can look like the best lineup in baseball to the worst in a matter of 24 hours. There’s not enough power outside of Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, and the right side of the plate, even with the revival of JT Realmuto, is still weak.

At this point, if you have a pulse and can be a functional everyday MLB player or give the Phillies a solid three outs from the bullpen, then you’re basically on the list and the front office is monitoring the situation.

Honestly, I’m not sure I like the position that the Phillies find themselves in but we’re only a few days away from the deadline, so let’s really look at who’s available and figure out the best route to take to plug some of the holes this team has entering August.

The Phillies are linked to… everyone?

ESPN links the Phillies to a whopping 11 relievers, five outfielders, and even three third basemen despite the fact that Alec Bohm is under team control and was putting together another solid season until hitting the injured list with a rib injury

Overall, here are the biggest names linked to the Phillies:

Eugenio Suárez, who’s launched 36 bombs and leads the NL in RBI, might be the best power bat on the market. He’s a right-handed masher on an expiring deal — the kind of rental that playoff teams dream about.

WATCH: Eugenio Suarez exits game after HBP

Luis Robert Jr., who would cost a haul but is a game-changing, controllable outfielder.

Phillies drop series opener to White Sox 6-2, Cristopher Sánchez streak snapped

David Bednar, who has Philly ties and would instantly upgrade the back of the bullpen.

Report: Phillies eyeing Pirates relievers Dennis Santana and David Bednar ahead of MLB Trade Deadline

Emmanuel Clase, although that’s likely off the table now given his gambling investigation.

Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has been placed on leave for involvement in an ongoing MLB investigation on sports gambling

It’s hard to tell what the actual plan is for the Phillies

The Phillies need another bat, especially with the offense looking inconsistent and left-handed heavy. They could also use a lockdown reliever or another starter, depending on how much they trust Aaron Nola to return to form.

For me, it’s all about lineup construction.

Let’s say the Phillies do land Eugenio Suarez. Does that move Bohm to first base, Bryce Harper to DH, and Kyle Schwarber to left field?

Suarez could DH too, but that still leaves with with a defensive downgrade by putting Schwarber back in left field. I guess there’s a possibility that Bohm can make the move to left field.

We’ve seen Otto Kemp do that already this season, but it’s far from proven logic.

It’s not that Suárez wouldn’t help. It’s just that adding him without creating a logjam somewhere else wouldn’t be as easy as it sounds.

My Ideal Deadline: Sell The Farm, Land 2 Bullpen Arms and an Outfielder

The more I think about Eugenio Suarez, the less I like it but obviously, I would be happy if that’s the route this team takes by Thursday.

The Phillies should be targeting two bullpen arms. I would like to land both David Bednar and Dennis Santana from the Pirates while adding Luis Robert Jr in centerfield. You could also consider Oneil Cruz, also from the Buccos, as the outfielder, or maybe even target Bryan Reynolds.

It’s a fun time of year for rumors, but not all smoke means fire. Dave Dombrowski has a history of making big moves when the fit is clear. Right now, it feels like the Phillies are being mentioned with everybody because they could use a little bit of everything.

We should know exactly what this team is over the 72 hours. Hang in there.

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